NFL

Little things are handy for 1st-place Redskins

ASHBURN, Va. (AP)

It's the little things that help turn an expected also-ran into
a surprise first-place team. Take the story of Washington Redskins
right guard Chris Chester - and how a subtle change in how he used
his hand on a running play was seen as a milestone.

It seems when offensive line coach Chris Foerster was reviewing
video from the 17-10 win over the St. Louis Rams before the bye, he
noticed Chester used a hand instead of a forearm to shed the
defensive lineman. The move allowed Chester to push the defender
away and move onto the linebacker, creating a bigger opening for
running back Tim Hightower.

''All year we had been talking about him doing it,'' Foerster
said. ''And he did it. ... It's a little tiny thing, but believe
me, it's huge in my world.''

There are a hundred reasons big and small why the Redskins (3-1)
find themselves atop the NFC East, but the coaches love to point
out the meticulous, bit-by-bit improvements from players all over
the roster. While hand placement and footwork hardly make for
glamorous conversation, the offensive line will quickly point out
it helped produce 196 yards rushing and no sacks allowed against
the Rams.

''It was something I'd been working on this whole time and had a
little trouble practically applying,'' Chester said Monday when
asked about the hand maneuver, which he had to master this season
as part of his adjustment to the zone blocking scheme after signing
with the Redskins as a free agent. ''But last week I was able to do
a better job with it, and we rushed for some 200 yards. Those
details make a difference. It's especially apparent at this level.
Everyone is so good. What it takes to get an edge is minute.''

Chester cited gymnastics as an example, saying 9.997 might be a
good score while ''9.998 is like a gold medal.''

The player next to him on the line, center Will Montgomery, went
for the golf analogy.

''Each year I've been in the league you have to improve or you
get bumped out of the league, whether it's your footwork, your
balance, your hand placement,'' Montgomery said. ''It's kind of
like in golf. The biggest, strongest guys don't always win; it's
all about the smooth technique of the swing. The same with the
o-line - the smooth technique of your hands, your feet, your
balance.''

While the line had its best game against the Rams, no one is
about to declare it the second coming of the legendary Hogs from
the Redskins' Super Bowl teams. St. Louis is a struggling team, and
stiffer tests are on the way. Next up are the Philadelphia Eagles
(1-4), who were the consensus pick to win the division and whose
early struggles are even more surprising than Washington's early
success.

''By no stretch are we where we want to be,'' Chester said.
''But at the same time we are making progress, and that's
encouraging.''

Chester is the only one of the five starters new to the team.
Montgomery and the others marvel at how far they've come when they
look at the film from last season.

''Everybody kind of gets it more,'' Montgomery said while seated
at his locker.

As he was speaking, reserve lineman Erik Cook poked his head
over Montgomery's shoulder, as if to playfully disrupt the
proceedings.

Montgomery would have none of it. Without missing a beat or
turning his head, he raised his left hand and gave Cook a hard,
playful slap in the face.

''See that hand placement right there?'' Montgomery said
jokingly as Cook walked away. ''I work on it every day.''

NOTES: Coach Mike Shanahan offered a preview of how he plans to
build up the Eagles, who are one of the league's biggest
disappointments. ''They're moving the heck out of the football,''
he said. ''They've got some great weapons. They're scoring some
points. All four of those games they've lost with turnovers.'' ...
WR Anthony Armstrong was on the field Monday but remains limited
with the hamstring injury that caused him to miss the game before
the bye. ''He practiced what he could ... I didn't ask him to push
anything until Wednesday,'' Shanahan said. ''But I feel like
there's a good chance'' that Armstrong will play against
Philadelphia. ... Shanahan said Hightower, whose nagging shoulder
injury gave Ryan Torain the opening for a big game against St.
Louis, is still a little sore ''but I don't think it'll keep him
out.'' Shanahan wouldn't say which back will start against the
Eagles. ... The coach said FB Darrel Young ''looked pretty good''
after missing two games with a hamstring injury. ... Shanahan said
practice was ''a little rough'' as players returned after five days
off. He ran them through some extra conditioning drills at the end.
''I kind of wish we didn't have as much time off as we had,'' CB
DeAngelo Hall said. ''I think a lot of guys were a little bit
rusty, a bit tired out there today. We'll work ourselves back.''
... The Redskins placed rookie CB Brandyn Thompson on the practice
squad. Thompson was released from the 53-man roster last week after
CB Phillip Buchanon returned from a four-game suspension. CB Nate
Ness was cut from the practice squad.

Related Stories

Member Comments

Please note by clicking on "Post comment" you acknowledge that you have read the Terms of Use and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Be Polite. Inappropriate posts may be removed by the moderator.